Adeno-associated virus-2 (AAV2) is a small virus known to infect a majority of humans (causing sore throat, upper respiratory diseases), and at least some of the other primate species. AAVs have not been believed to cause disease –– which is … Continue reading →

Posted inCenter for Environmental Genetics|Comments Off on Identification of liver-specific enhancer-promoter activity in the 3′ untranslated region of the wild-type AAV2 genome ..!!!

From a practicing physician –– who wishes to share some fundamental information about vit D deficiency, but remain anonymous: Concerning vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. population, consider these facts: 1) The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in our population … Continue reading →

Posted inCenter for Environmental Genetics|Comments Off on Low-frequency synonymous coding variation in CYP2R1 confers a large-effect on vitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis

The haploid genome can be envisioned like a string of pearls –– linear arrays on each chromosome (humans having 22 autosomes plus the X and Y sex chromosomes). Several decades back, it was found that a foreign segment of DNA … Continue reading →

Controversial studies have suggested that moderate to high daily doses of certain antidepressants for more than 2 years are associated with a substantially higher risk for type-2 diabetes (T2D), whereas other studies have shown to such correlation. The increased risk … Continue reading →

Glioblastoma is the most deadly form of brain cancer in adults. This cancer is responsible for more than 12,000 brain-tumor diagnoses in the U.S each year. Extensive characterization of its molecular basis, largely made possible recently, through massive genomic studies … Continue reading →

The day of “editing severe mutations out of the fertilized egg (zygote)” is here. The CRISPR/Cas9 editing must be done before the zygote divides beyond the eight- or sixteen-cell stage (after which differentiation into specialized cell types and tissues begins). … Continue reading →

This [below] is an article from ABC News, and this topic fits perfectly within the ‘gene-environment interactions’ theme. When I was editor (1994-2oo6) of the Center for Environmental Genetics (CEG) newsletter “Interface”, we invited readers (many of whom were lay … Continue reading →